Roasting is a quick and healthy way to cook asparagus. The tasty green is a good source of several vitamins, minerals and fiber and is low in cholesterol. Let's not forget being delicious! To get your roast on for your next meal, here's how.

Ingredients

1 bunch of fresh asparagus (or as much as you need)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Minced garlic and/or Parmesan cheese (if desired)

Lemon juice or balsamic vinaigrette (if desired)

Steps

Method1

Prepping the Greens

1

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). While the oven is warming up, you can get to work on the veggies.

2

Wash your asparagus. You may want to pick out the thinnest stalks now and save them for a different recipe -- the thinner the stalk, the flimsier they get while roasting. Thicker stalks are best for this cooking method.[1]

Trim your asparagus to remove the woody ends of the stalks. You can cut off the 1 or 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of the asparagus with a knife or snap off the ends with your fingers. When you snap off the ends, the woody part breaks off, leaving only the part of the tender asparagus spear.

Some people prefer the stalks of asparagus peeled, but others find this step unnecessary. If you're a peeler, peel away.

4

Dry the asparagus if necessary. You don't want the asparagus being steamed! Any extra water isn't necessary for roasting -- it's all about dry heat. Pat the asparagus with a paper towel or roll them in a clean dishcloth.

Sprinkle the asparagus spears with salt and pepper, and other seasonings to taste. If you have kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, even better. The fresher your seasonings, the more the taste will come alive.

Minced garlic is also a welcome addition to any roasted asparagus plate. If you like the taste of garlic, add in a few finely chopped cloves.

5

Place the pan of asparagus spears in the preheated oven. Cook the spears for 8 to 10 minutes. If you're working with thick spears or a hefty load, you may need more time. Keep an eye on it and issue a taste test at around 10 minutes.